Lawsuit against Filner features animation

A city parks employee filed a lawsuit today against former Mayor Bob Filner, saying Filner grabbed her from behind, put her into a headlock and rubbed her breasts at an event at a city park.

With the lawsuit came an animated reenactment of her version of events when Filner approached her in a city park and put her in the “Filner headlock,” as it has come to be known. The video showing the alleged encounter between Filner and veteran park’s employee Stacy McKenzie was commissioned by her attorney, Dan Gilleon.

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“The animation helps tell Stacy's story, but it's just a starting point,” said Gilleon, who noted the video was PG-13. “For this initial release, we downplayed some of the more severe acts by Filner, such as the initial handlock and the later headlock that included his elbow rubbing her breasts.”

U-T Watchdog has called Filner's attorney and will update this post with any comment.

According to McKenzie, Filner approached her on April 21 at the Clairemont Day at the Bay event at Mission Bay Park. He grabbed her hands and asked her for a date, she said. She backed away, but he pursued her across the park.

Two park rangers witnessed the event, according to Gilleon.

“The story and animation will be developed as depositions occur, such as when the two park rangers depicted in the animation testify,” Gilleon said. “Although we've been using animation for years for auto accident cases, it's fairly cutting edge for sexual harassment lawsuits.

“We hope that the employers out there who regularly sexually harass their employees with impunity will think twice when they realize their actions may end up on a screen in front a jury someday, in the form of an animation.”

A claim filed by McKenzie in September asked for $500,000.

According to the settlement terms that Filner and the City Council reached in August , City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s office will provide a joint legal defense of Filner and the city for claims filed for Filner’s alleged conduct in his capacity as mayor “made by current or former employees.”

The City Council also agreed to cover up to $98,000 of Filner’s outside legal fees.

McKenzie’s lawsuit is the second filed against Filner.

Irene McCormack Jackson, Filner’s former communications director, has filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against Filner and the city.